Kohala Lighthouse Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Hey folks, Rusty here. Let’s talk about what’s on offer for the next couple of weeks.

Right now, we’ve got a single standout window, and it’s a short one. The best and really only shot for decent waves kicks off on Tuesday afternoon, September 8th, at Kohala Lighthouse. This is a consistent, exposed reef break that’s strictly for advanced surfers. The water’s sitting at 81°, which is about average for this time of year.

The swell is coming in at 5ft from the NE, with a solid 10-second period pushing a moderate wave energy of 770. The real kicker here is the wind. It’s glassy, a light 3 mph from the south, leaving the surface clean as a whistle. Conditions are prime for a proper session. It’s a reef, so the long period groundswell will wrap in nicely, offering up some proper shape. Just keep in mind, the crowds can show up sometimes, but for a setup like this, it’s likely worth it.

After that little slice of paradise, the outlook goes pretty grim. From Wednesday morning, September 9th, and all the way through to the end of the forecast, it’s a real bummer. The trade winds kick in hard, blowing 16 to 19 mph from the east and east-northeast, smashing up the surface. The swell sticks around, often between 4ft and 8ft, but it’s a cross-shore, lumpy mess. The period drops to 8 seconds or less, so it’s all windswell slop. Even when the swell pushes up over 8ft and the energy climbs into the 800s (like on September 17th), the wind-ruined conditions mean it’s not worth paddling out. This stretch goes on for two solid weeks without a single decent window for a surf. The only sliver of hope is a clean, cross-offshore wind on the morning of September 22nd, but the swell is tiny at 3ft with a weak 116 energy. It’s just not enough to get excited about.

So, your play is clear: hit the water on Tuesday, September 8th at Kohala Lighthouse. That’s the one. For the rest of the run, don’t bother. The setup is more interesting for kite surfing than a paddle.

Rusty.

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